This talk will examine how climate change stresses health systems through multiple pathways - some direct (extreme weather events triggering immediate disease outbreaks) and others mediated through governance failures, displacement, and health system fragility. Drawing on case studies including A.I.-enhanced cholera modeling in Yemen and climate suitability mapping for vector-borne diseases across the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Dr. Maher will argue that while climate creates the conditions for health crises, the quality of governance, surveillance systems, and health system preparedness ultimately determines outcomes. The talk will offer a framework for understanding when climate is the primary driver and when it amplifies underlying systemic vulnerabilities, with implications for early warning systems and policy prioritization.
Speaker
Osama Ali Maher
Associate Research Professor, Health, Humanitarian and Disaster Response
